Meet Max :)
Good morning, sweet friends!
I have some news…
We got a new puppy!
As you know from a few posts back, our beloved doggie Bo passed away suddenly on Easter Sunday. It was a bit of a shock.
We have been through all the grief stages as a family, and it was a tough month.
A couple of weeks ago we began the search for a new puppy.
In fact, I told my husband…
“I need a heartbeat in the house to take care of while you are at work or on the golf course. Either a baby or a puppy. Your pick.”
Quickly, he began looking for a puppy! Haha!
We picked up Max this past Monday and it has been a whirlwind to say the least!
Whew. I am almost a decade older than I was when we got our last puppy. It has taken me a minute to adjust to the newness and non-stop action a new puppy brings!
Yesterday, I was utterly exhausted.
This morning, I am feeling a little more back to normal-ish.
This year, beginning in January, has been a year of change.
So many changes within the past few months.
I remember at the end of 2024, I kept seeing this verse over and over…
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19
God speaks to us so often through His Word. When we see a scripture from The Bible over and over and over…we need to take heed. He speaks.
Since January…
The girl that has been my hair stylist for over a decade retired from doing hair.
The girl that has done my nails for about 3 years moved to a far away location.
Our beloved dog of almost 8 years passed away.
Now, we have a new puppy.
Change has never been my strong suit.
Creature of habit, to say the least.
I eat the same breakfast every day, and I like doing the same things day after day.
So, naturally, when there is a shift, I tend to get a bit out of sorts.
Here is the thing though…
God is Faithful.
God is the Plan Maker.
God has the final say.
He never closes a door without doing something new around the corner.
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
I think about Paul from the new testament.
He had plans to spread the gospel of Jesus in Asia. He made plans to travel and preach there.
However, The Holy Spirit stopped Paul in his tracks.
Nope. Not going to Asia.
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Proverbs 19:21
When Paul’s plans changed, he decided to go to Bithynia.
Nope. God stopped that plan as well.
“And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them” Acts 16:6-7
God ended up opening the door for Paul to go to Macedonia instead.
There are many things we may not ever understand about God and His plans.
However, we can always trust that He is Good.
His plans are always, always, always better.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9
That scripture brings my heart peace. I don’t have to have it all figured out. I can submit it all to Him and He will make the final plan.
This reminds me of a writing class I took in high school. I would submit my paper to be edited by my teacher, and she would mark it all up with a red pen.
However, her edits were much better than my rough draft. She was the teacher and she knew more than I did about writing.
The final draft was always better than the rough draft that I had proposed.
God has a way of using His pen to change our plans too, doesn’t He?
Let this scripture bring your heart peace if you are in the midst of change.
All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. Psalm 25:10
Notice that the verse says…”ALL the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful”…it doesn’t say “some of the ways.”
All means ALL.
As I am typing, my new little puppy Max is quietly sleeping on a blanket at my feet.
Never in a million years did I think we would be getting a new puppy this year.
Oh, but God knew.
He makes all things new.
Trust Him with the tiniest details of your day.
Submit, surrender, and release your plans to Him.
Peace comes with submission.
back to puppy training,
jill
